Rotary sprinkler



May 21, 1963 R. G. cHEEsEBoRo 3,090,563

ROTARY SPRINKLER Filed Aug. 27, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 la 9 @y ggg.

May 21, 1963 R. G. cHEEsEBoRo 3,090,563

ROTARY SPRINKLER Filed Aug. 27, 1962 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 tes This invention relates to irrigating sprinklers and more particularly to an improved form of hydraulically powered, rotating sprinkler.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a hydraulically powered rotary sprinkler for irrigating purposes having means for adjusting the rate of rotation independently of the volume of water passing through the sprinkler. Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary sprinkler in which the sprinkler head is caused to rotate by a iluid coupling device whereby, stoppage of rotation ofthe sprinkler head for any reason will not damage the rotation imparting mechanism.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a rotary sprinkler having a iluid coupling interposed between a driving turbine rotor or empower and a rotating sprinkler head and further, having means accessible from the exterior of the sprinkler for adjusting the spacing between the driving and driven members of the fluid coupling with resultant variation of the slip between said members and consequent variation in the rate of rotation of the sprinkler head relative to the rate of rotation of the actuating impeller.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a rotary sprinkler in which the foregoing objectives are realized in practice, which is composed of few parts of simple, sturdy design, which is capable of economical manufacture and which is reliable for its intended purpose.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such additional objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts described, by way of example, in the following specillcation of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of said specification and in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a rotating sprinkler constituting a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the sprinkler shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged, medial sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a turbine jet nozzle and impeller blade as viewed on the line 4 4- of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the turbine impeller component of the device, the section being taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the fluid coupling means taken on the line 6 6 of FIG. 3, and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are fragmentary `transverse sectional views taken respectively on the lines 7--7 and 8 8 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a generally cylindrical body member 1 having .an internally threaded lower end closed by an end cap 2 with an interposed gasket 3; said end cap having an axially disposed, depending, hollow, internally threaded boss 4 adapted to mount the device on the end of a supply pipe P. It should be mentioned that as the description of the invention proceeds, the terms upper,

ingesta Patented May 2l, 1963 lower, above, below and the like will be employed simply for convenience in referring to the drawings and that such terminology is not employed by way of limitation, since it will be obvious that the invention will respond operably to the impact of fluid under pressure regardless of the attitude of the device relative to the hor-i- Zontal.

interposed between the inner end 5` of the threaded skirt portion 6 of the end cap 2 and a shoulder 7 formed by a counterbore portion 8 of the lower inner portion of the body 1 is a jet forming end plate 9' having a series of radially spaced inclined slits 10 extending therethrough as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Spaced above the plate 9 is a reduced diameter portion 11 of a body member 1 resulting in an increased wall thickness of the body said reduced diameter portion terminating at its upper end in a transverse partition wall 12. This reduced diameter portion is provided with a series of passages 13 extending therethrough parallel to the axis of the body member for a purpose to be presently described. The lower end of said reduced diameter portion 11 is provided with Ia counterbore 14 in which an end plate 15 is secured by any suitable means, as, for example, a snap ring 16 engaging a groove 17 in the Wall surface of the counterbore 14.

The partition 12 and end plate 15 together with the inner periphery of the reduced diameter portion 11 of the body 1 define a circular cavity 18 in which the rotary fluid coupling means of the device is contained; said fluid coupling means comprising a driving component 19 and a driven component 2t). The driven component 20 comprises a unitary fan-like member having a backing plate portion 21 disposed adjacent to the underface of the partition 12 yand terminating in a depending Skirt 22; said plate having an axially disposed, internally threaded hub 23 extending downwardly from said backing plate portion a lesser distance than said skirt portion. The driven component 20 further includes a plurality of radial vanes 24 extending outwardly from said hub to said skirt the lower edges of said vanes for about the inner half of their length lying in the plane of the lower end of said hub as at 25 and the outer portions of said vanes lying in the plane of the lower end of said skirt as at 26; said lower edges of each of said vanes being connected by vertical faces 27.

Tightly engaging the interior of the hub 23 is the threaded lower end 2S of a sprinkler driving member 29; said threaded lower end extending from a shoulder 30 which engages the upper end face of the hub 23. The partition 12 is provided with a bore 31 extending therethrough in the axial line of the body 1 through which the sprinkler driving member 29 extends and said bore at its upper face terminates in a oounterbore 32 in which a gasket 33y is seated. The gasket 33 on its inner diameter has a close llt with the body of the sprinkler driving member 29 and the upper surface of partition 12. The sprinkler driving member 29 is provided with an annular flange 34 which rests on the upper faces of the gasket 33 and the partition 12; it now being noted that the upper end of the hub 23 engages the lower surface of lthe partition 12, whereby, the driven member 20` and the sprinkler driving member 29, as a unit, are journaled for rotation in the partition 12 while being restrained against endwise movement.

The iluid coupling driving member 19 comprises a unitary casting having an end wall portion 35 terminating in a short upturned peripheral skirt portion 36 and said end wall having an elongated hub 37 projecting beyond both sides of said end wall portion. The hub 37 has an axial bore 3S extending therethrough terminating at its upper end in a counterbore 39. The hub 37 below said end wall 35 extends in bearing engagement through a bore 37 in the end plate 15 and below said plate the end of said hub is exteriorly threaded as at 40 for engagement with the internally threaded counterbore 41 disposed axially in the upper end of the hub 42 of the turbine impeller 43 of the device.

The liuid coupling driving component 19 is further provided on the upper face of the end wall portion 35 thereof with a plurality of radially extending varies 44 including outer portions 4S of lesser height and inner portions 46 of greater height said outer and inner portions being connected lby vertical wall end faces 47 of slightly less radial dimension than the radial dimension of the vertical end wall faces or portions 27 of the driven component. It will be noted that the described conguration of the vanes of the Huid coupling components permit axial adjustment of the components toward and away from one another to increase or decrease the iiuid slip therebetween while preserving the valuable principle of having the vanes of the driven component surrounding the ends of the vanes of the driving component. Additionally, it will be noted that the outer diameter of the components 19 and 29 are slightly less than the inner diameter of the cavity 18. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, the driving component preferably has a greater number of vanes than the driven component such number, .preferably, being other than a multiple of the number of varies on the driven component. Y

Journaled in the bore 3S of the coupling driving member 19 and the axially aligned bore 48 in the impeller hub 42 is the vertically extending adjusting screw memlber 49; said member at its lower ends slidingly and rotatingly engaging a guiding bore 56 in the end plate 9 and similarly engaging an axially aligned guiding bore 51 in the sprinkler `driving member 29. Immediately below the bore 51, the member y49 is provided with an externally threaded portion 52 engaging the thread-s of aY counterbore 53 in the driving mem-ber 29. The impeller 43 is disposed within a cavity 54 defined by the end plates 9 and 15 and the inner wall surface of the body 1. The impeller in addition to the hub 42 thereof includes 4a bottom web portion 55 terminating in an upturned skirt portion 56 of lesser vdiameter than the diametral dimension defining the inner ends of the jet producing slits or nozzles 10. Projecting radially from the outer surface of the impeller skirt .portion 56 is a plurality 01"; radially extending bl-ades or vanes 57 having impact receiving surfaces disposed substantially at right angles to the 'direction of jets received through the slits 10, whereby, rotation is imparted to the impeller. VThe adjusting member 49 below the impeller webI `55 is provided with an annular flange 58 on'which the unit comprising the impeller 43 and the coupling driving member 19 is supported whereby rotation of the member 49 in one direction or the other will increase or decrease the vertical elevation of that unit with incident variation of the clearance between Vthe fluid coupling components and consequent increase or decrease in the slip between said components. The adjusting member 49 at its lower end is provided with an axial bore 59 terminating in crossbores 60 within the counterbore 39.

Water under pressure entering through Vthe pipe P will pass through the slits 1G as jets which impinge on the impeller blades 57 causing the impeller 43 and the fluid coupling driving component 19 to rotate as a unit. Water will have entered the fluid coupling cavity 18 through the bore 59and the adjusting screw 49, the erossbore 60 and the space formed by the counterbore 39 to ll that cavity, wherefore, the rotation ofsaid `driving component will cause the water in the cavity to impart rotation to the driven component 2l) and theV sprinkler `driving member 29 which Vis rigidly iixed to the driven component 20. Obviously, rotation of the adjusting ScrewV 49 relative to the sprinkler driving memrber 29 will elect axial movement of the yfluid coupling driving component 19 toward or away from the driven component with resultant lesser or greater slipbetween these components and consequent closer or less close relation between the rate of rotation of the driven component to that of the driving component.

Above the partition wall 12, the upper end of the body member 1 is internally threaded for closure by -an upper end cap 61; said end cap having an annular flange 62 overlying the upper end 0f the body member 1 and securing a sealing gasket 63 against saidend of the body member. Water passing through the impeller cavity 54 is conducted to the passages 13 in the reduced diameter portion 1l of the body member to the cavity 64 formed by the partition wall 12, the end cap 6-1 and the inner wall surface of the body member 1. The end cap 61 includes Ia depending, axially disposed, circular wall 65 terminating in -an inwardly extending annular flange portion l66; said wall and ange constituting a coaxially disposed weil or socket extending into the cavity 64 and in which socket or well the sprinkler head assembly 67 is mounted for rotation and axial movement.

The'sprinkler head assembly 67 includes a nozzle component 68 having an annular flange 69 rotatively bearing on the inner surface of the wall 65 and also having an axially disposed, internally threaded depending circular wall in which the threaded upper end of the hollow cylindrical nozzle inlet member is secured. Disposed on the upper surface of the flange 66 and secured thereon by asnap ring 'I1 disposed in a groove 72 in the wall 65 is a sealing gasket ring 73, the .inner diameter of which is slightly less than the diameter of the hole formed by the flange 66 and which gasket engages the outer surface of the nozzle inlet member 7i) to combine with the engagement of the flange 69 with the wall 65 to allow both rotation and axial movement of the nozzle assembly. The inlet member 70 is provided with .an annular iiange 74 which is disposed below the flange 66 `and is elective to limit the extent of upward movement of the nozzle assembly, and the nozzle component 63 is provided at its outer end with acircular ange 75 of slightly greater diameter than the interior of the well or socket ormed by the wall 65 and adapted to engage the outer end face of the end cap 61 to limit the extent of downward movement of the said nozzle assembly. Y

Below the flange 74 thereof, the inlet member 70 is provided 'with an axial bore 76 in which the upper end 77 of the sprinkler nozzle driving member 29 is slidingly received; said upper end having a diametral slot 78 extending thereacross nearly to the harige 34 thereof and the lower end of the nozzle inlet member being provide-d with a pair of radially opposite pins 79, 79 slidingly enga-ged in said slot at opposite sides of the bore in which the adjusting screw member 49 is received as best shown in FIGS. 3, 7 and 8. Between the ilange 74 and the plane of the pins 79, 79 the wall of the inlet member 70 is provided with a plurality of upwardly inclined, circumferentially spaced ports 89 affording communication between the cavity 64 and the interior of the sprinkler head assembly 67 and the nozzle component 68 thereof is correspondingly provided with at least one upwardly and -radially outward extending, internally .threaded nozzle receiving bore 81 in which a nozzle 82 having la desired internal diameter'is removably mounted; said bore and nozzle communicating with the interior of the nozzle assembly.

In repose, lthe nozzle assembly will -be retracted with -the under :side of the iiange 7S resting on the top of the end Vcap 61. When 1l device is actuated, water passing through the cavity 54 and rotating the impeller 43 will thence pass through the passages 13 to the cavity 64 and will force the nozzle assembly upwardly to the extent permitted by Ithe ange 74; it being understood that as the impeller picks up speed, the iiuid coupling means will have simultaneously caused the nozzle assembly to -begin to rotate by reasonof the interengagement of the pins 79, '79 with the slotV 78; said engagement permitting the said upward movement of the nozzle assembly. At the same time, the water enters the ports 80, and passing through the interior of the nozzle assembly, is discharged from .the nozzle 82. At this point, it is Well to note that if for any reason or purpose, rotation of the nozzle assembly is prevented, no damage will result to the rotation producing mechanism since the iiow of water lay-passes the cavity 18 at all .times 'and merely keeps it lled through the bore 59 and crossbores 60.

The nozzle component 67 is provided with an axial bore 83 through which the body of an adjustment operating member S4 is received for rotation; the outer end of said bore being provided with a counterbore 85 in which the enlarged head 36 of the member 84 is received. T-he head 86 is provided at its outer end with ya screwdriver slot 87 and is further provided with a peripheral groove carrying an O-ring gasket 88 engaging the counterbore wall. A snap ring 89 seated in a .groove 9d in the wall of the conu-terbore secures the member 84 in the bore 83 and counterbore 85. Within the interior of the nozzle assembly, the member 84 is provided vw'th a diametral slot 91 in which the -attened upper end 92. of the adjusting screw member 49 is loosely received, the said engagement permitting extension and retraction of the nozzle assembly so that .the clearance between the uid coupling driving and driven components 19 and 2.0 can be varied by rotation of the member 49 as actuated by the member 84 in all vertical positions of the nozzle assembly. The frictional engagement of the O-ring 88 and the snap ring 89 with the member 84 are suiiicient to hold it in any position of rotative adjustment.

While in the foregoing specification there has been disclosed a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the invention is not to be deemed to be limited to the precise details of construction thus disclosed by way of example, and it will be understood that the invention includes as well all such changes and modiiications in the parts and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a rotary irrigating sprinkler, a hollow body having inlet means aording connection of the interior of said body with a source of water under pressure, a rotary fluid -coupling means in said body comprising a rotatable driving component, a rotary driven component and means comprising devices adapted to employ water received from said inlet means for converting rotation of said driving component into rotation of said driven component, power means in said body operative to convert the force exerted by water entering said body from the source to which the sprinkler is connected into rotation of said uid coupling driving component with resultant application of rotative driving force to said driven component of said lluid coupling, a rotatable discharge nozzle means mounted on said hollow body and connected to said fluid coupling driven component for rotation deriving from rotation of said fluid coupling driven component, and means in said hollow body effective to conduct water from said power means to said nozzle means in all positions of rotation of both of said power means and of said nozzle means.

2. A rotary sprinkler as claimed in claim 1 in which said fluid coupling means is enclosed within a cavity formed within said hollow body and in which fluid passage means extending rom said cavity to a point in communication with said inlet means serves to maintain said cavity iilled with water.

3. A rotary sprinkler as claimed in claim 1 in which said hollow body includes a cavity dened by a circula-r side wall and spaced, parallel end walls in which said fluid coupling means is housed, in which said driving .component is mounted for rotation about an axis substantially coincident with the axial line about which said cavity side wall is generated and is disposed adjacent one of the end walls dening said cavity and in which said driven component is separately mounted for rotation about an axis also substantially coincident with said axial line and adjacent the other of said end walls deiining said cavity.

4. A rotary sprinkler as claimed in claim l in which said hollow body includes fluid conducting passage means effective to conduct water from said power means to said nozzle means.

5. A rotary sprinkler as claimed in claim 1 including means accessible from the exterior of said hollow body manually operable to vary the rate of rotation of said nozzle means for a given volume and pressure of water entering said hollow body through said inlet means.

6. A rotary sprinkler as claimed in claim l in which said power means comprises a second cavity in said hollow body and enclosing a rotor mounted thereinfor rotation; said rotor having a plurality of radially extending varies, in which `a wall of said cavity is disposed adjacent to said inlet means 'and is provided with a plurality of angular slits positioned to a plur-ality of jets of water against said vanes in a direction to cause rotation of said rotor.

7. A rotary sprinkler as claimed in claim 1 in which said hollow body is provided with an end cap at one end carrying ysaid inlet means, yand with a second end cap at its opposite end in which said nozzle means is mounted yfor rotation and endwise movement.

8. A rotary sprinkler as claimed in claim 2 in which said hollow body is -generally cylindrical, in which said iluid coupling cavity is substantially coaxially aligned with the axial line of said hollow body, and in which said power means is disposed -in a second cavity in said hollow body parallel to said first cavity and at the side thereof adjacent said inlet means.

9. A rotary sprinkler as claimed in claim 3 in which said hollow body lis generally cylindrical, in which a rst end cap closes one end thereof and carries said inlet means, and in which Ia second end cap closes the other end of said hollow body and carries said nozzle means mounted thereon -for both rotation and axial movement.

10. A rotary sprinkler as claimed in claim 3 in which ya screw means accessible from an cuter surface of said nozzle means is manually operable to vary the axial clearance between said duid coupling components with resultant variation in the slip permitted between said components.

11. A rotary sprinkler as claimed in claim 4 in which said hollow body yincludes a plurality of fluid conducting passages extending outwardly of and parallel to the circular side wall of said fluid coupling cavity eiective to conduct water from said power means to said nozzle means.

12. A ro-tary sprinkler as claimed in claim 5 in which said manually operable means for varying the rate of rotation of said nozzle means is disposed axially of the driven component of said duid coupling and has threaded engagement wtih a member xed to said driven component.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,125,593 Pinckney Jan. i19, 19115 1,888,8811 Murphy Nov. 22, 1932 11,970,126- Buckner Aug. 14, 1934 2,756,099 Reynolds July 24, 1956 2,909,325 Hunter Oct. 201, 1959 3,038,666 Dudley et al June 12, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 141,198 Australia May 111, 1951 

1. IN A ROTARY IRRIGATING SPRINKLER, A HOLLOW BODY HAVING INLET MEANS AFFORDING CONNECTION OF THE INTERIOR OF SAID BODY WITH A SOURCE OF WATER UNDER PRESSURE, A ROTARY FLUID COUPLING MEANS IN SAID BODY COMPRISING A ROTATABLE DRIVING COMPONENT, A ROTARY DRIVEN COMPONENT AND MEANS COMPRISING DEVICES ADAPTED TO EMPLOY WATER RECEIVED FROM SAID INLET MEANS FOR CONVERTING ROTATION OF SAID DRIVING COMPONENT INTO ROTATION OF SAID DRIVEN COMPONENT, POWER MEANS IN SAID BODY OPERATIVE TO CONVERT THE FORCE EXTENDED BY WATER ENTERING SAID BODY FROM THE SOURCE TO WHICH THE SPRINKLER IS CONNECTED INTO ROTATION OF SAID FLUID COUPLING DRIVING COMPONENT WITH RESULTANT APPLICATION OF ROTATIVE DRIVING FORCE TO SAID DRIVEN COMPONENT OF SAID FLUID COUPLING, A ROTATABLE DISCHARGE NOZZLE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID HOLLOW BODY AND CONNECTED TO SAID FLUID COUPLING DRIVEN COMPONENT FOR ROTATION DERIVING FROM ROTATION OF SAID FLUID COUPLING DRIVEN COMPONENT, AND MEANS IN SAID HOLLOW BODY EFFECTIVE TO CONDUCT WATER 